Digestive system of the horse
Horses

Digestive system of the horse

 To properly feed a horse, you need to understand how it functions. horse digestive system. After all, these animals are very different from us! They can’t “grab” a sandwich on their way to work, and then have a hearty lunch and salad for dinner – they need to eat almost continuously. Otherwise, problems and diseases cannot be avoided. 

Digestive system of the horse

The digestive system of a horse can be represented in the form of a table.

What is the digestive system of a horse

Stomach

Size

About 8 liters (about 10% of the volume of the entire digestive tract).

What is being digested

Protein breakdown (limited).

How is it digested

Enzymes and concentrated acid provide the initial stage of digestion.

What is absorbed

It’s nothing.

Duration of the process

The main part of the food quickly passes the stomach, which should rarely be empty. But part of the food can be delayed for 2 to 6 hours.

Small intestine

Size

It looks like a long (21 – 25 m) narrow tube (about 20% of the volume of the entire digestive system). It is divided into 3 parts: the duodenum (after the stomach), the jejunum, and the ileum.

What is being digested

Oils, starch, proteins and sugar.

How is it digested

Fermentation.

What is absorbed

Fatty acids, amino acids, sugar, minerals, vitamins A, D, E and trace elements.

Duration of the process

Depending on the amount of forage, the volume of feeding and the type of feed. The first particles of semi-digested food (chyme) go through at least 15 minutes, but the main process can take 45 minutes – 2 hours.

Colon

Size

This large fermentation organ can hold up to 100 liters of water and chyme (about 2/3 of the volume of the digestive tract).

What is being digested

Fiber and other substances that are not digested in the small intestine (proteins, starch and sugar).

How is it digested

bacterial fermentation.

What is absorbed

Water and a number of minerals (mainly phosphorus), which are components of B vitamins and volatile fatty acids, formed during the bacterial fermentation of fiber.

Duration of the process

Typically 48 hours if the horse is fed primarily silage or hay.

Functional disturbances

The bacteria that form the microflora of the large intestine are able to adapt to different types of diet, but this takes time (up to 14 days). And if the horse’s diet suddenly changed, and there was no time to adapt, the digestion process can be disrupted – the bacteria cannot immediately start digesting the new food. Also, the functioning of the large intestine will be disturbed if too much sugar and starch comes from the small intestine. This is extremely harmful to horses.

 

Why you need to know the features of the digestive system of a horse

Keep in mind that the digestive system of horses is “sharpened” for an almost constant supply of food. Therefore, concentrated feed (for example, oats) should be given in a small amount, and forage (for example, hay), on the contrary, should be fed frequently.

Digestive system of the horse

Photo: wallpapers.99px.ruIf the feeding regimen is violated, the horse is experiencing severe stress, the consequences and manifestations of which can be swaying, trampling, biting, chewing blankets or colic.

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